in April for permission to install four turbines at the Norristown Dam that could generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of thousands of homes.
In April, county officials, working with consultant Alden Laboratories, applied to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a licensing exemption of projects less than 10 megawatts in size. Though the application could take three to five years to process, it would still be faster and less expensive than applying for a traditional permit, officials said.
The dam, also known as the Swede Street Dam, is near Route 202 and lies 15 miles northwest of Philadelphia. It spans the Schuylkill between Norristown and Bridgeport. A fish ladder was built in 2008 on the Bridgeport side to help migrating fish move upstream.The county project calls for four submersible turbine generators to be built near the fish ladder.